


Just Rest

by LyriaBlackFrost



Series: Fluff Bingo [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Fluff Bingo, M/M, Ryuji acts like a worried mom, Sick Character, Taking care of you while you're sick, cursing, mention of child neglect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-23
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-08-06 06:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16382771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyriaBlackFrost/pseuds/LyriaBlackFrost
Summary: Akira has some difficulty in accepting help when he needs it, and Ryuji tries to make him understand that he’s not alone.





	Just Rest

**Author's Note:**

> "Taking Care of You While You're Sick" prompt, written for the Fluff Bingo.
> 
> I'm in LOVE with these two??? They're everything I love in a single ship, these sweet nerds! ♥  
> I hope you enjoy it!

There wasn’t much the Phantom Thieves could do while waiting for the results of Kaneshiro’s change of heart, so they decided to use that afternoon to confront a few targets Mishima told them about, in Mementos. The group went down a few floors, easily dispatching the shadows in their way — they were all becoming stronger after each visit, it was possible to feel the difference in how quickly some of those battles came to an end.

But still, Ryuji had the feeling something wasn’t right that day, and he soon realized what was it: Akira was fighting beside him, as usual, but his movements seemed slower and weaker… Almost sluggish. It wasn’t like him, and Ryuji couldn’t help but get a little worried.

“Hey, Joker…” he said, as soon as they finished another brief battle. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Uh?” Akira looked at him, and if Ryuji needed any confirmation that something was off, his flushed face and heavy breathing were more than enough. “Yeah… I am.”

Of course, he wasn’t convinced.

“Really?” He approached his friend, and, without any ceremony, placed his palm over his forehead. “Holy shit, man! You’re burning up!”

Akira stepped away, averting his gaze with apparent annoyance.

“It’s nothing,” he said.

“Nothing my ass!” Ryuji grabbed him by the arm, pulling him to the others, who were already inside Morgana. “Change of plans, we’re going back for today. This guy should be in bed now, not fighting fucking shadows.”

“You’re exaggerating,” complained Akira, trying to free himself from Ryuji — and failing.

“Am I really?” Ryuji stared at him. “I’m not even using that much strength, y’know?”

Akira glared back, but didn’t answer. That was enough to call the attention of the rest of the group, though.

“Is something wrong?” asked Makoto.

“Yeah, this guy’s sick,” explained Ryuji.

Akira opened his mouth to protest, but soon enough Makoto was in front of him, touching his forehead as well.

“You have a fever,” she concluded. “Ryuji’s right, you shouldn’t be straining yourself like this.”

“It’s just a cold,” he tried to argue.

“Yes, but it’s dangerous to fight like that,” proceeded Makoto. “You should rest until you get better. We can come back another day.”

“But—”

He was about to protest again, but Makoto’s serious gaze made him think twice. Despite being the newest member of the group, there was something about her confidence, strength and intelligence that earned their respect — in many ways, she seemed like the “big sister” of the group. Akira hesitated for a moment, then let out a resigned sigh.

“Fine…” he said. “I’ll go home and rest.”

Makoto smiled at him, seeming proud of his decision.

“Good,” she said. “No reason to be stubborn about it. We can come here anytime, after all.”

“Yes,” agreed Ann from inside Morgana, “and you should take care of your health.”

“I must agree,” added Yusuke. “We’d be in deep trouble without our leader.”

“Let’s just go home and eat some curry,” completed Morgana. “You deserve some rest.”

Those comments made a slight smile appear on Akira’s lips, but it was short-lived. They drove back to the entrance, leaving Mementos, emerging on the busy streets of Shibuya. The group soon said their goodbyes to each other, but instead of doing the same, Ryuji followed Akira, taking the same train as him.

“I’m going with you,” he announced, after receiving an inquisitive look from his friend.

“Why?” asked Morgana, only his head visible outside Akira’s bag.

“Yeah…” agreed Akira. “Why?”

Ryuji shrugged, then placed an arm around Akira’s shoulders.

“Just wanna make sure you won’t collapse on the street,” he said.

“I won’t.”

“Yeah, because I won’t let you.”

“He actually has a good point,” admitted Morgana. “I wouldn’t be able to help much in this form, even if you needed.”

Akira glared at the cat, as if he had betrayed him.

“You too?” he asked. “C’mon, I said I’m fine…”

“Yeah, yeah… ‘Course you are,” said Ryuji. “Do you have any cold medicine?”

“No.”

“Ok, let’s stop by the pharmacy, then.”

He didn’t give Akira any room to complain, and his friend just followed him, clearly unhappy, but still obedient. From the pharmacy, they followed to the Leblanc. Morgana said he’d take a brief walk before going to sleep, and Ryuji had the impression his voice had a slightly amused tone, but didn’t think too much about it. They entered the Leblanc, where they found Sojiro behind the counter, as usual. When he heard the doorbell, he raised his eyes to them.

“Oh, there you are.” He frowned when his eyes fell upon them. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah…” said Akira. “Just a little tired from studying.”

“I see.” Sojiro pointed at the fridge over his shoulder. “There’s some leftover curry on the fridge, if you get hungry later.”

“Ok, thanks.”

They went upstairs, and Ryuji made Akira sit on his bed while he looked for some clothes for him, helping him change into them, then bringing a glass of water from the lower floor for him to drink his medicine. Akira complained all the way, and part of Ryuji knew he was acting like an over-protective mom, but — to be honest — he was still a little annoyed at Akira for hiding it from him, so he didn’t care that much.

“Hey, can I borrow some of your clothes?” he asked. “I’ll spend the night here.”

“Why?”

“To make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

Akira opened his mouth to answer, but Ryuji was faster than him.

“Yeah, yeah… You can take care of yourself, I know.” Without waiting for Akira’s permission, he picked some clothes that seemed comfortable enough to sleep. “But I’m a caring friend, and I don’t wanna leave you alone.”

Akira didn’t answer, but made sure to express all of his discontentment on his face. Ryuji, as the great friend he was, completely ignored it, taking his phone and quickly calling his mother.

“Mom?” he said as soon as she picked up. “I’ll stay at my friend’s house tonight, ok? He’s not feeling well, and I don’t wanna leave him alone.”

She agreed, and they chatted briefly before ending the call. When Ryuji looked back at Akira, his friend was still glaring at him.

“It’s just a cold…” he said. “You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Well, ‘course I do!” retorted Ryuji, starting to change his own clothes. “‘Cause you’re an idiot that can’t take care of yourself, I have to do it for you.”

“It’ll get better on it’s own.”

“Or turn into something worse,” Ryuji sighed. “C’mon… How careless can you be? What if you get some nasty pneumonia or something like that?”

Akira averted his gaze.

“Ryuji, really…” he said in a low voice. “Just stop this. I’m fine, I can take care of myself.”

Ryuji stared at him, arching his brow.

“Why are you being so stubborn about this?” he asked. “That’s too much, even for you.”

“I…” Akira made a brief pause, as if looking for an answer. “I don’t wanna be a nuisance to you, or anything like that.”

“You’re not a nuisance,” answered Ryuji. “You’re my best friend, and I wanna help you.”

Ryuji approached Akira, placing a hand on his curly hair, messing it a little, in a playful manner.

“Man, just let people care about you,” he said. “Did your parents go through all this too, when you got sick?”

“Of course not.”

“Then, are you this annoying only to me?”

“I’m only annoying because you won’t leave me be.”

“C’mon, dude… Just enjoy your cold and let me do the stuff for you.”

Ryuji said it in a light, playful tone, but judging by Akira’s face, one would think he had just threatened to punch him.

“Ryuji, I’m serious…” said Akira. “Stop this. I’m fine.”

“What’s the matter? You’re acting kinda weird since early.”

“I told you, I don’t want to be a nuisance.”

“Why the fuck would you be a nuisance?”

“Because I’m sick.”

Ryuji scowled at the answer.

“Seriously?” he asked, shaking his head. “Everyone gets sick sometimes, dude. And you’re living alone, so it’s normal to accept help. So, just let me be a good bro and do my part, ok?”

Ryuji had the impression Akira’s lips trembled lightly, but his friend said nothing. Instead, he turned his head, facing the wall. Ryuji approached him, knowing something was amiss, and his suspicion was confirmed when he noticed there were tears leaving his eyes. The sight made his heart sink.

“Hey…” he sat on the bed, beside Akira, placing a hand on his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What are you even apologizing for?”

“I didn’t hide it that well, and now you feel like you have to take care of me.”

“What the…” Ryuji frowned. “How the fuck did you twist things this much?”

Akira stayed silent again, and Ryuji stopped himself from insisting on the subject. Instead, he tried to think about what had happened that day, find some reason for that strange behavior. Had he been affected by some strange status ailment? Nah, it wasn’t it… Ryuji stayed by his side from the beginning, and they didn’t spend much time in Mementos, anyway. He’d know for sure if it had been something like that.

That’s when an old memory crossed his mind: him lying sick on his bed, listening to his father complaining about the money they spent in medicine for him. It was an unpleasant memory that he’d rather keep buried under many others, but still… He couldn’t just brush it away. Not at that moment.

“Hey, I might be thinking too much, but…” he hesitated a little before proceeding. “When you got sick back at your home, how was it?”

Akira looked at him through the corner of his eyes.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “I waited for it to get better.”

“Ok, but… Your parents, did they take care of you?”

“Uh… No?” he furrowed his brow, clearly uncomfortable. “Why would they?”

“Why wouldn’t they? They’re your fucking parents!”

“Yeah… They were already paying for my food, and education, and everything else… Why would I bother them with this?”

“Dude…”

Ryuji simply stared at him, not knowing what to say. Akira shrugged.

“It’s normal…” he said. “They were busy, and I could take care of myself.”

“Did they ever… Say something to you for getting sick?”

He didn’t answer, but this time Ryuji wasn’t willing to let the subject go so easily.

“Did they?” he repeated.

“Just the usual…” said Akira in an annoyed tone. “That I shouldn’t bother them with this stupid stuff, that I should be able to take care of myself, you know… These things. Nothing unusual.”

Ryuji simply stood there, in silent disbelief. Now that he thought about it, it made sense: he never heard Akira talking about his parents, and, as far as he knew, they didn’t come to visit him even once after he moved to Leblanc. Damn, if it was his mom, as busy as she was, she’d still find the time to visit as often as she could — not counting the hundreds of times she’d call each day. It wasn’t like they lived that far, too… A few hours by public transportation, or even less if they owned a car.

“Dude…” Ryuji sighed, suddenly feeling a little tired. “No wonder you grew up like that.”

“Like what?”

“Thinking you have to do everything by yourself.”

Akira didn’t look at him, so Ryuji placed both hands on his face, making his friend face him.

“Listen to me…” he said. “You’re not on your own, ok? So you better learn to rely on me and everyone else, or I’ll keep pestering you like I did today.”

“Why are you worrying this much about it?” asked Akira. “It’s just a cold.”

“Because I care about you, you nerd.”

Ryuji lightly squished his friend’s cheeks.

“And it’s not just about the cold,” he proceeded, “it’s about everything. You hear me? I’m here for you, for everything you need, and you better not forget it. Got it?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you promise me?”

“Yeah, sure…”

“Akira…”

Ryuji approached their faces until they were just a few inches apart, looking into his friend’s eyes.

“It’s not a nuisance,” he said. “If something’s wrong with you, I want you to tell me. It’ll be way worse if you don’t, ok?”

“But I can—”

“I know, I know. You can take care of yourself, and all that. But it’s fine to ask for help too, alright?”

Despite his words, Akira still seemed a little uncertain.

“Damn…” said Ryuji. “For someone so smart, you sure can act like a kid sometimes.”

“What?”

“Consider this a favor to me, then,” he proceeded. “Next time something’s wrong, tell me. No matter what it is, ok?”

“That’s—”

Before Akira could protest, Ryuji squished his cheeks again.

“Please?” he asked.

“Alright…” said Akira in a grumpy voice.

“Promise?”

“Promise. Just get away now, or you’ll get sick too.”

“Fine.” Ryuji did as he said, letting go of his cheeks and moving his face away, but without leaving his side. “You better mean it. I’ll get mad if you break your promise.”

“I won’t.”

“I’ll trust you on that, then. Now, just rest for a while, and I’ll go get us something to eat.”

“Ok.”

The lack of further protests seemed like a good sign to him.

“You’re learning,” said Ryuji in a playful tone.

He gently touched the side of Akira’s head, fingers sinking on his soft, curly hair. Ryuji smiled as he placed a brief kiss on his forehead, just like his mother did whenever he got sick, as a charm for him to get better soon.

As soon as he moved away, Akira’s widened eyes were staring at him, and only then he realized what an embarrassing thing he did without thinking. A hot sensation went up his neck, and he had the feeling his face was probably as red as Akira’s — but not because of a fever.

“I’ll be back with our food,” he said, getting up from the bed.

But, before he could walk away, Akira reached for his wrist, holding it.

“Hey…” he said. “Can we eat later?”

What Ryuji wanted the most was to run away from that awkward situation he had put himself into, but looking at Akira’s expression, somehow, made his worries go away.

“Uh… sure,” he said. “As long as you don’t sleep with an empty stomach.”

Akira agreed with a nod, then pulled him back to the bed. Ryuji sat beside him, and before he could say anything, Akira leaned in his direction, resting his head against his shoulder. A small, amused laugh left Ryuji’s lips: it was impressive how that guy could go from stubborn to cute in such a short period of time.

“Man… You’re so clingy,” he said in a playful tone.

“Shut up…” groaned Akira in response. “You’re the one who told me to depend on you.”

“Yeah.”

“So, I’m doing it now.”

“Good job.”

Ryuji placed a hand on Akira’s head, caressing his hair. A low sound, like a chuckle, left his friend’s lips.

“You keep pampering me like this…” said Akira. “Don’t blame me if I end up falling for you.”

Ryuji wasn’t sure how much of it was Akira speaking, and how much was the fever and the sleepiness caused by the medicine. Still, those words made his heart jump. He pulled Akira a little closer, leaning his head against his friend’s.

“Go ahead…” he whispered back.

Maybe he’d regret his words later, or maybe not. But, for now, what mattered was to let Akira know how much he was loved.

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, but all I can imagine now is how Akira, in the future, will throw himself on Ryuji's arms over the stupidest thing, like...  
> A: Ryuji, I'm dying... Carry me to bed...  
> R: Dude, you sneezed once!  
> A: Don't you care about me?  
> And Ryuji, of course, will do whatever he says, because it's easier and he loves him.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fic, kudos and comments are highly appreciated! ♥


End file.
